ARTICLES ABOUT TRANSMISSION BY DATE - PAGE 5

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co are jointly developing nine- and 10-speed automatic transmissions to improve the fuel economy of their models, Automotive News reported on Friday. GM, the largest U.S. automaker, will lead the design of a nine-speed gearbox for front-wheel drive vehicles, the publication reported citing people familiar with the matter. No. 2 U.S. automaker Ford will head the effort to develop the 10-speed transmission for rear-wheel drive vehicles such as pick-ups, SUVs and performance cars, Automotive News reported.

The Northern Will County Water Agency has decided to allow more time for the area's water company to consider its $34 million offer to purchase the Bedford Park transmission line, which carries Lake Michigan water to several southwest suburbs. The decision came earlier this month at the agency's first public meeting since it was officially formed by leaders from five area suburbs earlier this year in an effort to reduce water rates. The agency's members - Homer Glen, Bolingbrook, Lemont, Romeoville and Woodridge - say rates are way too high in towns where Illinois American Water is the supplier.

Homer Glen trustees have backpedaled on initial plans to authorize the issuance of $50 million in bonds, approving only half that amount while keeping plans to try to acquire the Bedford Park water transmission line. They authorized a $25 million issuance - with a sale of $17 million in bonds - at a packed meeting late last month. The $17 million in bonds will pay for the village's roughly $2,583,000 share in improvements to 159th Street in a $70 million-plus Illinois Department of Transportation project, and help resolve flooding issues, village officials said.

Homer Glen officials are holding off again until Tuesday to vote on whether to authorize issuing $50 million in bonds, a portion of which would fund acquiring a transmission line that brings Lake Michigan water to the southwest suburbs. If the village board approves the issuance, Homer Glen officials plan to sell only $25 million of the bonds initially. This would include $8.8 million toward acquiring the Illinois American Water Co.'s Bedford Park water transmission line that carries Lake Michigan water, and millions to fund 159th Street improvements, completing unfinished subdivisions and extending the Fiddyment Creek sanitary sewer line, officials said.

Utility contractor MYR Group Inc. reported better-than-expected quarterly results, helped by a 55 percent increase in revenue at its transmission and distribution business. Second-quarter net income rose to $9.5 million, or 45 cents per share, from $3.7 million, or 18 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue rose about 41 percent to $260.4 million. The transmission and distribution segment had revenue of $215.8 million in the quarter. Analysts on average had expected earnings of 33 cents per share on revenue of $246.3 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Chrysler Group LLC will employ a new manufacturing process developed using three-dimensional techniques to make transmissions at its Indiana plant, a move that will save costs and be replicated in its other plants, the company said. Brian Harlow, head of Chrysler's powertrain operations in North America and of powertrain engineering globally, said 3-D modeling cut engineering costs to develop production methods for two different transmissions to be made at the company's engine plant in Kokomo, Indiana.

July 12 (Reuters) - PJM, the operator of the nation's biggest power grid, said on Thursday its board of managers authorized $943.2 million in transmission system upgrades and improvements. The upgrades are a combination of multiple smaller projects and do not include the building of any major power lines, PJM said in an email. The improvements include $554 million in upgrades designed to address potential reliability violations due to the shutdown of some power plants, and $739 million in upgrades that have nothing to do with power plant shutdowns.

Q: I have a 2008 6-cylinder Camry LE. For some time now the car chatters when the transmission shifts from 4th to 5th. It is very slight on a level road but as soon as you put a load on the engine, as when going up a hill, the chattering gets worse. The only remedy I've found is to use the manual shift option and leave the transmission in 4th. — G.P., Vernon, Conn. A: It sounds like an issue with the torque converter, more specifically the lock-up clutch function. The fix may be as easy as reprogramming the transmission control module or powertrain control module or as complex as replacing the torque converter.

April 23 (Reuters) - Allison Transmission Holdings Inc posted a higher quarterly profit, helped by strong demand for on-highway commercial vehicle products worldwide. The company, which went public in March, makes automatic transmissions for trucks, buses and military vehicles. Net income for the quarter rose to $58 million from $36.9 million last year. Net sales rose 16 percent to $601.9 million. Sales at the on-highway segment in North America increased 34 percent to $219 million, while it rose 16 percent to $66 million outside the region.